VISD begins interviewing candidates for East coaching vacancy

Jan. 12, 2012 at 11:04 p.m.Updated Jan. 12, 2012 at 7:13 p.m.

Applicants for the Titans football coaching vacancy include, from left, El Campo assistant and former Memorial coach Wayne Condra, East offensive coordinator Brad Eblen, Lamar University OC and former Sam Houston State head coach Todd Whitten and West defensive coordinator Scott Williams.

A recommendation for the next football coach at Victoria East will be made when the Victoria Independent School District meets next week.

Barring an unforeseen circumstance in the interim, superintendent Bob Moore will recommend one of the candidates for the vacancy at the Jan. 19 meeting said district athletic director Ralph Escalona.

"I can't guarantee it, but if we decided we don't have the right person we'll start the process over again," Escalona said. "We have a timeline set, but we'll start over. I feel confident we can find someone out of this group of applicants and have someone on board by the 19th."

Interviews with the top 11 candidates are still being conducted. Escalona declined to state the entire list, but noted those already employed by the district - East offensive coordinator Brad Eblen and West defensive coordinator Scott Williams - were interviewed.

One applicant who certainly will not be the next coach at East is former Titans offensive line coach Adam Arroyo. Earlier this week, Arroyo told the Advocate he will leave the teaching and coaching profession for a sales position in the petroleum industry.

Previously, Escalona anticipated 75-100 people would apply for the position. However, when the vacancy closed earlier this month, there were only 65 applicants.

There are nearly 40 coaching vacancies in the state, including openings at Bay City, Goliad and Woodsboro, as well as a smattering of 4A and 5A openings. Nevertheless, Escalona is not worried about attracting the perfect candidate to Victoria.

West football coach Leonard McAngus said Victoria provides a handful of positives for any perspective applicant.

"I think it's a great school district. We have a good place to raise a family and a good administration. To me, it's the right size town. Our school district has done a great job of making improvements and is still in the process of making improvements."

McAngus coached in Victoria for half a decade before moving to a smaller community, Gonzales, then to a school in the shadows of one of Texas' major population centers during his seven-year tenure at Justin Northwest. He added Victoria football players "are hungry to learn and get better, which makes it fun to work with them."

Whoever is recommended to the board next week, their work will be cut out for them, as there will be high expectations placed on him.

"We have two new programs in place and the success has been good for first- and second-year programs," Escalona said. "All the applicants that I have talked to think this is a gold mine. It's a win-win situation for anyone who wants to come here and is lucky enough to be the next coach."

VICTORIA EAST APPLICANTS

The list of candidates was obtained through a Freedom of Information request to VISD:

• Rolando Aguirre, former football coach at Burbank (Calif.) Bellarmine-Jefferson

• John Baker, AD/football coach at Floresville

• Robert "Bob" Bellard, former AD/football coach at Bryan

• Marcus Booker, teacher and outside linebackers coach for NEISD

• Jerry Brakel, head football coach at Irving Nimitz

• Michael Brewster, video coordinator and asst. football coach at Southern Methodist University

• Michael Burget, offensive coordinator at Weslaco East

• Dan Burk, former Yoakum coach and linebackers coach at East Texas Baptist University

• Frederic Camp, ISS teacher in Forney ISD

• Matt Carroll, athletic coordinator and football coach at Waco University